Four Harmonies and Good Fortune

Chapter 156: Fire
The clay oven needs to be fired for three days.

Logically, everyone should be able to rest for at least half a day after the clay kiln is put into operation, but the Xie family would never agree to that.
It's true that the daily wage is 130 coins, but you have to work from dark to dark.

When it gets dark, we have to work by the light of a fire. We have to get up before dawn to sift clay. So it's from dark to dark.
"This is no work that a human being could do."

Miao Shun spoke in a low voice to another craftsman: "At this rate, I don't know if the clay furnace will even be able to be fired, but the people will definitely not be able to hold on."

"What nonsense are you talking about?"

The Xie family steward interrupted Miao Shun.

Miao Shun gave the steward a cold look: "What? You won't let me rest, and you won't let me speak either?"

When the Xie family steward was rebuked, his face immediately turned angry. He subconsciously reached for the whip at his waist, but Miao Shun did not back down, as if he was waiting for the Xie family steward's whip to fall.

The surrounding workers also stopped what they were doing and looked over.

The Xie family steward gritted his teeth, forced to swallow his rising anger. They still needed these people to operate the kiln, and they couldn't afford to cause trouble, otherwise he probably wouldn't be able to continue as steward.

“I’m not saying you can’t talk,” the steward said, “but don’t talk too much irrelevant stuff.”

Miao Shun didn't care: "The clay kilns we made these past two days have already been put into the kiln, so we haven't delayed our work."

As he spoke, he glanced at the darkening sky.

"It's time to wrap up work for today."

Upon hearing the words "work is done," the workers' faces lit up with joy.

The Xie family steward's face darkened: "This kiln has been fired, but the next one will be fired in three days. If this is delayed, who will take responsibility?"

The workers were too frightened to speak. Miao Shun sneered and said, "When the employer hired you, did he say that you would work this long every day? If you think about it this way, the Yang family's porcelain kiln is making more money."

As soon as he finished speaking, a murmur of discussion arose.

"That makes sense."

"It seems...it really is."

Miao Shun continued, "It's clearly written in the Criminal Code of this dynasty. If they don't let us rest, we can go to the yamen to file a complaint. Don't be intimidated by them."

Seeing that the situation was not good, the Xie family steward was about to signal several servants to surround the area.

"What is this doing?"

A voice rang out, and everyone instinctively turned to look. They saw Master Xie carrying a food box as he walked over, followed by several servants carrying boxes.

"Seventh Master".

The Xie family steward was quite surprised to see Seventh Master Xie. He didn't expect Seventh Master Xie to come to the pottery kiln at this time. He was about to go forward to speak when Seventh Master Xie stopped him with a gesture.

"Knowing that everyone has worked hard, I came here especially to reward you." As Master Xie spoke, he looked behind him and saw several servants placing boxes on the ground.

"As everyone should know, this is a critical moment. Our Xie family is going to compete with the Yang family for the clay furnace business."

The Xie family steward looked grim. With such words spoken beforehand, these people would become even more emboldened.

But it was too late for him to stop it.

Master Xie smiled broadly: "The Yang family only has a small porcelain kiln, how can it compare to our Xie family? When it comes to porcelain kilns in Daming Prefecture, the only family that comes to mind is the Xie family."

"Since everyone helped the Xie family make a sale, the Xie family will not treat everyone unfairly. Every time a kiln is fired, the Xie family will give each person fifty coins as a reward."

The Xie family steward was taken aback. Fifty coins per person—that's a lot of money! This pottery kiln alone employs dozens of workers. If this kiln is paid, the other kilns will surely cause trouble when they hear the news.

"Seventh Master," the Xie family steward hurriedly stepped forward to stop him, "Have you discussed this matter with the Old Master and the Second Master?" "Discuss what?" Seventh Master Xie pushed the steward away, "My father is not at home, so I am in charge here. Who doesn't know that the Xie family porcelain kiln was built by my mother?"

“Even the artisans in the porcelain kiln were chosen by my mother.”

"Although I am a son of a concubine, everyone knows that my father values ​​me the most and will surely hand over the Xie family's porcelain kiln to me in the future."

"You need to figure out whose meal you're eating."

After saying this, Master Xie waved to the servant: "Give everyone a reward."

The servant opened the trunk, and the workers' eyes lit up as they rushed forward.

The manager felt dizzy as he watched the hired workers receive their money.

Master Xie looked at Miao Shun: "You and my mother are both from Miao Village, so I'll call you Uncle. I've brought some wine and food with me. How about we have a drink, Uncle?"

Watching Master Xie and Miao Shun leave, and then looking at the scene before him, the steward hurriedly called to the servant, "Quickly, prepare the carriage, I need to go back and report to the Old Master and the Second Master."

The Xie family steward dared not delay and rushed back to the Xie family home. As soon as he entered the courtyard, he encountered Zhao, who was returning from the county government office.

Every two days, Zhao would go to the county government office, but each time she couldn't see the master and Zhang Ge'er. She had sent so much money, yet she couldn't even get a glimpse of them. They had all started firing the clay stove as instructed by the Liu family, but the Liu family seemed to have forgotten about the master's matter and refused to make any exceptions.

Does the Liu family really have to wait until Xie Yuyan is defeated before they will truly lend a helping hand?

Zhao felt that she was about to collapse.

"Madam."

Upon hearing the urgent cry, Zhao seemed to remember something and couldn't help but shiver, instinctively feeling that something terrible had happened in her family again.

"Madam, something terrible has happened!"

Zhao's legs went weak, and she would have collapsed to the ground if her daughter-in-law, Xu, hadn't been supporting her.

"What are you shouting about?" Zhao Shi finally calmed herself down and scolded the steward, "What exactly happened?"

The steward then said, "It's Seventh Master... Seventh Master has caused trouble again."

Since Xie Chongjun's incident, Xie Qi has been much more well-behaved, and Zhao Shi had almost forgotten about him. Now that the steward suddenly mentioned him, she remembered that there was such a troublemaker.

Zhao's voice was almost forced out through clenched teeth: "What has he done now?"

The steward swallowed hard: "Seventh Master took a lot of money to the pottery kiln to reward the workers there... He also said that he would reward them with money every time a kiln is fired."

Zhao's breath hitched. The Xie family had recently spent so much money, barely managing to keep the kiln running until it was ready to fire. Wasn't Xie Qi's actions just adding fuel to the fire?
Unfortunately, the master wasn't home, so there was no one to control that beast.

Zhao was filled with rage.

“Mother,” Madam Xu tightened her grip on Madam Zhao’s arm, “Father isn’t home, and Seventh Brother has caused such a huge mess, why don’t we let Grandfather step in…”

Zhao's eyes lit up. She was also confused. Usually, the master couldn't punish Xie Zishao because of "Miao Shi". Now that the master was not at home, if the old master took action... those merchants related to Miao Shi couldn't cause trouble because of this.

Isn't this the best time to get rid of that scourge?
Madam Zhao looked at the steward: "What are you all standing there for? Go and report to the old master."

The steward snapped out of his daze and immediately ran into the courtyard.

Zhao took a deep breath, her gaze gradually hardening. She had tolerated that scourge for so many years; finally, she was going to get her way. Even if she couldn't kill him, she could at least throw him into the estate, have servants watch over him every day, and make it difficult for him to leave the house again. A grandfather disciplining his grandson—who would dare question that?

“Let’s go,” Zhao said, “Let’s go straight to the old master’s courtyard.”

She took advantage of the warmth and started another fire.